


Discovering You

by CrystalScribe



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Misthaven, Smut, The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26588998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalScribe/pseuds/CrystalScribe
Summary: Emma Swan is the princess of Misthaven. One day, she will be crowned queen… She must also marry someone first. She isn’t ready to be a wife. She isn’t ready to be a queen. But when her father is killed mysteriously, Emma knows she must stop being selfish and find herself a husband…Captain Hook tried to save King David, much against the beliefs of the rest of the kingdom. When he breaks free of the cells beneath the castle, he runs into the princess, who offers to help him in return for a taste of freedom before she’s forced into a loveless marriage. Killian can’t tell her no… Not that he wants too.***“Your chariot awaits, my love…” Emma turned to see Killian at the entrance to the Captain’s Quarters. His eyes glowed beautifully in the low light filtering in through the windows, and tears pricked at her own.“How do I look?” She held out her arms, and his eyes moved up and down her frame. But it wasn’t the gaze she had grown so accustomed too.“Beautiful,” Emma slowly walked toward him with a smile, taking his hand in hers. She kissed him, hoping he knew how badly she wanted to stay at his side for the rest of her life. “There’s not a day will go by I won’t think of you.”“Good.”
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. Εκδικηθεί

_**Εκδικηθεί** _

“David!” Killian yelled over the sound of the roaring fire, “David, are you alright!?”

There was a low groan from under the pile of rubble, and Killian didn’t hesitate to rush over, lifting the splintered wood off the King. “Mate? David?”

“I’m not your mate,” He groaned softly, and Killian laughed.

“Yeah, you’re alright. C’mon, get up.” He pulled David to his feet, keeping his hook safely away from the King’s injured side. “We have to get you back to the castle, David. They can patch you up there.”

“No,” He forced Killian to let him go. “We have to find this bastard.” 

“David, you have a wife and a daughter who need you, you can’t keep doing this!” He caught his hook on David’s arm, earning him a glare. “It’s a fools errand! You’ll die.”

“Emma and Snow are capable enough. And so am I, Hook.” Killian watched in dismay as the King of Misthaven dragged his arm free once more. David took a few steps before an arrow flew from the trees, Killian moved, and the arrow struck him in the side. “Hook-”

“I’m fine.” He grunted in pain, “Now let’s get you back to the castle, mate, because we both know that if anything happens to you, the blame will be on me.”

David nodded, but before they could go much further, another arrow struck him in the chest, and he fell backward, dead before he hit the ground. “David! David!?”

***

“I would like to let everyone know that we are taking extreme measures to find and punish the man that killed my husband, our King.” Emma watched numbly as her mother gave the speech to the kingdom. She could see, beyond her mother, in the middle of the courtyard, Captain Hook. He was in chains, surrounded by guards. He wouldn’t look up from the ground, a scowl on his face. Emma wished he would look up, look her in the face. He killed her father… The least he could do was look her in the face.

But he didn’t. At least, not until they were escorting him out. He looked up, and she met his eyes from across the courtyard. They were starlingly blue. 

“I didn’t kill the King!” He yelled, his voice deep. “I was working with him, trying to keep him safe!”

“Shut up!” One of the guards jabbed him in the ribs, and he grunted, bending over. He managed to maintain contact with her. 

“Ask the princess! She can tell if I’m lying!” He sounded winded now. Emma closed her eyes, sighing. “Princess, please!” 

“Emma?” Her mother turned to her and Emma bit her lip, before standing up and looking at him. 

“Did you kill my father!?”

“No!” He yelled again, “I was helping King David-Ah!” 

One of the guards elbowed him again, and the pain on his face made Emma’s heart clench. That wasn’t the kind of pain you felt when someone jabbed you in the ribs. “Stop it! Let him speak!”

“There were bandits, and we were hunting them.  _ They  _ killed the king!” The people around him and the guards started calling him a liar, yelling loudly. “I took an arrow in the side for David! I tried to make him come back to the castle, to the Queen and Princess! We were turning back when they shot him! I tried to save him!”

Snow looked to Emma, wondering what her daughter saw in the pirate’s eyes. Emma squared her jaw. He was telling the truth. He had to be telling the truth. “Emma? Is he lying?”

She shook her head. “No. He’s telling the truth.”

Snow tried to look her in the eye, but Emma was frozen on Captain Hook’s face. His eyes were so startlingly blue that Emma almost couldn’t breathe as she stared in his eyes. “Princess, please!”

“Are you sure, Emma?” 

“Yes. He’s telling the truth.” The anger she’d felt towards the pirate was gone, and now she was curious. Simply curious, wondering what his story was. Why would he help her father? He was the notorious Captain Hook, right?

“Guards, take him to the cells.”

“What-” Emma looked to her mother. “He’s telling the truth, mom!”

“Just because you believe something is true, darling, doesn’t mean it is.” Snow said simply. 

“Mom-”

“Emma, we’ll talk about this later.” She said calmly. “Please.”

Gritting her teeth, Emma shot one final look to Captain Hook as he was dragged from the courtyard before turning on her heel and running into the building. Two things were prominent to her now. Her mother didn’t believe in Emma’s superpower, and she would have to find someone willing to marry the crown princess of Misthaven.

When Emma reached her room, she grabbed the tiara off her head and chucked it. She was lucky it didn’t fly out of her window when she tossed it. Then she grabbed at her skirts and pulled, wanting to rip them off. 

This wasn’t over her anger with her mother for not listening. It wasn’t even over the fact that she’d most likely have to marry a man she didn’t love just to be able to rule Misthaven without being alone. This was her anger at whoever had taken her father from her, whoever had stolen him away at the brink of his life. Now, he’d never give her away, never walk her down the aisle, never threaten the suitors fighting for her hand. He’d never get to meet her first child, never get to read them stories, or teach them to sword fight, or ride a horse. 

Emma let out a scream of fury as she dropped to her knees, her head falling into the skirts of her dress, sobbing. Her door flew open and Emma looked up, sniffling. Red Lucas, her mother’s best friend, walked into the room, coming over to Emma. Her dark hair had streaks of grey in it and as she sat down beside her, Emma wanted to push her away and tell her to leave.

“I believe you about Hook,” She said simply, “And your mother should have too, but Emma, she’s grieving as much as you are. You know your parents were true love, and not only does it hurt to not have, but it hurts to lose… She isn’t thinking straight.”

Red rubbed her back, and Emma sniffled. “She can’t… They’re gonna demand he’s executed. She can’t do that, he’s innocent.” 

“You know your mother wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t even execute Regina, who threatened the entire kingdome, Emma.” Red whispered softly.

“But they think he killed dad. Mom doesn’t think straight without him at all.” Emma shook her head. Emma didn’t know why she cared so much about what happened to Captain Hook. He was a dirty pirate, who killed, and looted, and attacked for nothing but personal gain. So why did she care? “What if she does kill him, Red?”

“She won’t.” Red assured her, “There’s a reason we have a counsel, Emma. No matter what, I believe you. I’ll vote no if she does decide to jump to conclusions.”

“And I don’t get a vote, because I’m just the princess.” Emma mumbled, leaning her head on Red’s shoulder. 

“You’re being awfully dramatic over a pirate,” Red hummed, a slight tease in her tone. “Though, I can’t deny he’s  _ very  _ attractive…”

“He is… I mean- Shut up.” Red laughed. She’d always been like an aunt for Emma, and she appreciated the companionship. Her mother being the queen and all, Emma didn’t get a whole lot of time with her. But her father… Their kingdom depended almost solely on the Queen. If Snow had been the one who was killed, things would have been much worse, and Emma would have been thrown straight into the position of being Queen, without any more time to prepare for it. Emma was close with her father. Always had been. But now… Now, he was gone.

“Don’t deny it. He’s very handsome, and very charming-”

“And one handed.”

“That, too.” Red smiled, “Come on, let’s get you up and get you back in order.”

“For what? Everything was cancelled for the day.”

“Perhaps… But you want to clear Hook’s name, right? Punish your father’s real killers?” Emma looked to Red, an eyebrow raised. 

“Yes… But I’m just a princess, how am I supposed too-”

“Your mother defeated the Evil Queen when she was just a princess, Emma. You are the product of True Love, do you know what that means?” Emma shook her head, still looking into Red’s reassuring green gaze. “You have magic. Have you ever noticed how the candles flicker when your angry? Or how the firepit in the courtyard blazed brighter when you saw the guard elbow Hook? Emma, you have magic. Powerful magic. If anyone can find your fathers true killers, it’s you.”

“But I don’t know how to… The fact that I’m just now finding out I have magic says plainly enough that I don’t know how to use it.” Red sighed.

“You can learn.”

“And if I don’t want too?”

“Then how are you supposed to prove Hook is innocent?” Emma looked down at the ground, frowning. 

“What do I do?”

“Simple. Break Hook out of the dungeon-”

“You call that simple! There are armed guards around the clock, Red!” She grinned.

“It’s called a distraction, Emma.” Red finally got Emma off the ground, sitting her at her vanity table. She went to the side of the room and grabbed a box hidden under Emma’s dresser. “You can wear this. It was your mothers, but it should fit well enough.” 

“Okay… What do I do after I get him out? If I’m even able to get him out?”

“Tell him you want to help clear his name, and that you won’t take no for an answer.” Emma nodded, looking at the box Red gave her. “Emma, look at me.”

“But-”

“Look at me.” She sighed, tilting her head up. Ruby smiled reassuringly at her. “Relax, Emma. Tell him that you want to help him, to find your fathers killers. Maybe even mention the fact that you’re probably gonna have to find some lame bozo prince to marry,” Emma giggled at that, “And that you want a taste of freedom before you’re locked down for good with a lame bozo prince.”

“You like that description, don’t you?”

“I can’t help myself. To be honest, I considered you father to be one of those so called ‘lame bozo princes’ up until I saw how far he was willing to go for your mother.” Emma smiled, and Red wiped a tear off her cheek. “Now get changed, I’ll be outside, standing guard.”

“Okay…” She watched her walk over to the door before calling out. “Hey, Red?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.” 

“Of course. Hurry up, though.”

***

Emma didn’t waist any more time in getting changed. The clothes were a little tight around the chest, but it was better than 90% of the corsets Emma had put on in her lifetime. She slipped out of her room, her hair tied in a tight ponytail at the back of her head. Red clicked her tongue in disapproval when she saw her.

“What?”

“Put your hair down.”

“But, won’t people recognize me, then?” Emma frowned as Red pulled her hair out of it’s tie. 

“That’s what you want. Well, not your mother. She’ll kill me. Then you. Then me again.” Red paused, before shrugging. “But you want the people to know that you are out there, avenging your father. Eventually. You’ll also want to keep the hood up a lot.”

“Well, that’s conflicting. Do I want people to know who I am, or not?”

“Yes, and no.” Emma blinked at her, and Red sighed. “You want them to know once you have leads and know who to look for.”

“Okay…” She sighed, hoping she didn’t look, or seem totally stupid for not understanding half of what Ruby was saying. “Are you coming with me?”

“No. I have to keep you mother busy, and hopefully, away from you and Hook.” Emma knawed on her lip nervously, hands shaking anxiously. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. If I know anything about Captain Hook, it’s that he’s loyal to a fault. You promise to clear his name, I’m sure he’ll do anything to help you avenge your father, and keep you save at the same time.”

“I heard he had revenge of his own,” Red smirked. 

“You know more about Hook than you let on, don’t you?”

“A few things here and there… Mostly that the Dark One is his mortal enemy.” Red laughed.

“You know more than that, but you know what, I won’t pry.” She patted her shoulder. “Now, I’ll create a distraction, and you-”

“The prisoner has escaped!” Red’s face fell as Grumpy ran past, huffing it for the counsel room. 

“Shit. Go, now! Find him.”

“What if I can’t!?”

“You have too, Emma.” Red said before tossing her hood over her head. “Now, go!”

Emma grabbed the hood attached to her own clothes and threw it on, darting down the hall. She knew this castle like the back of her hand. Hook didn’t. Luckily, as if by chance, she ended up hurtling right into him. She tackled him to the floor, grunting when she landed on top of him.

Captain Hook was even more beautiful up close. She stared at him, her mouth wide open in shock. “Princess.” His voice was even better up close, too. Quiet in her ears, Emma shivered, sucking in a breath. 

“Hook.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was going to help you escape, but clearly you’ve done that just fine yourself.” He smirked at her. 

“The crown princess is helping me escape? That doesn’t sound right, shouldn’t you be… I don’t know, getting ready for a ball or something? Maybe impressing some suitors?” She scowled, bringing her knee down. Pain bloomed across his handsome features, and he grunted, “Bloody hell, that was uncalled for!”

Emma stood up, scowling at him. “Maybe you should think twice before insulting the woman whose pinning you.”

“Perhaps…” He groaned, struggling to his feet. “But maybe you should have thought twice before deciding to paralyze me, Aye?”

“You’ll live. Now, come on. I can get you out of here.” Emma started down the hall, stopping when Hook’s voice reached her ears.

“Why are you helping me?” He scowled, “You believe I killed your father.”

“Actually, no, I don’t.” She scoffed, “My mother does- Now  _ come on _ , Hook.”

“You just kneed me in the balls, love, I need a moment.” She scoffed.

“I’m not your love.” Emma walked back to him and threw his arm over her shoulders, dragging him after her. He cried out after a while, falling to the ground, his hand on his side. 

“Slow down, princess.” He panted, wincing. Emma raised an eyebrow to watch him lift his shirt. There was a slash along his side, and as Emma moved closer, much against Hook’s wishes, she saw that it really was from an arrow. She looked up at him with a frown.

“You really did take an arrow for him, didn’t you?”

“Did you doubt me?”

“Maybe a little. You are a pirate, after all.” 

“Yeah. You’re a princess. You’re supposed to be attending balls, wearing corsets, dancing with suitors and whatnot…”

“And you’re supposed to be a blood thristy pirate who cares about nothing but revenge and treasure.” He smirked, “And yet you were trying to save my father.”

“I owe him a great debt.” She raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps I’ll tell you someday, love, but right now… I have a feeling your guards are just about to find us.” 

Emma tied her hair back and flicked her hood up. “Let’s go then.” 

“Gladly. Although, I won’t be up for any… Rigorous activities. As you saw, I am badly injured.”

Emma scoffed. “Please, I’ve had an arrow go through my shoulder before.”

“I wasn’t talking about the graze, luv… You wounded me.” Emma rolled her eyes, shaking her head. 

“Get over it. The guards will do worse to us both if we don’t get out of here now.” 

“You’re the princess, they can’t do anything to you.” She grinned at him.

“Clearly, you don’t realize the members of the royal guard are my uncles.” His eyebrows shot up into his hairline before she was dragging him from the corridor, and quickly out of sight. 


	2. Πριγκίπισσα

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Hook escape into the town around the castle and make a daring escape onto a replica of the once famous 'Jewel of the Realm'

Πριγκίπισσα

Emma came to a stop in town. She hadn't thought about how she was going to get them out of the town surrounding the castle.

Apparently, Hook was already on it. "Come with me, darling." He turned to walk down an alleyway and Emma followed after him, although warily. This was her kingdom. The people knew what she looked like, if they saw her, she was screwed. Let alone Hook. They'd tear him to pieces.

Thankfully, she noticed as she caught up, he had the sense to keep his head low and cover his face with a hat. She didn't approve of his means of acquiring it, but what did she expect? He was a pirate.

"At least you know to hide your face," Emma commented before thinking about her words.

"I'm a pirate, love, not an idiot." He shot back at her and Emma scowled, jogging to keep up with his long strides, panting a little. Sure, she wasn't wearing a tight corset, but it didn't mean breathing was easy.

"I wasn't calling you an idiot. Most pirates are too cocky about escaping a prison to hide their faces." She nearly slammed into him when he came to a stop. She tried to peer over his shoulder. "What? What's the matter?"

They were near the docks. ""I'm gonna kill Smee."

"Who?" Emma frowned as Hook stode towards the docks. Emma rushed to keep up, still keeping her head hidden.

"My ship is gone."

"Your… Ship?" He raised an eyebroe at her and she froened, feeling stupid. "Right, pirate captain."

"Aye, love. Though it appears my first mate had the decency to leave me a dinghy." He groaned, "Bloody hell. Captain Hook being reduced to a rowboat. Wonderful."

"How are we supposed to get anywhere in this!?" Emma huffed.

"We?" He turned to her. "There is no we, darling. I appreciate your help in aiding my escape, but I'd rather not add royal kidnapper to my list of false crimes." 

"Do you want to clear your name or do you want the world to think you killed my father?" He scowled at her, clenching his jaw. "Plus… In a few months, I'll be reduced to the pretty little wife of a pompous prince. I'd like a bit of adventure first."

" _ Pretty little wife _ ? Princess, in a few months, you'll be crowned queen, aye?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Not until my mother either dies, or steps down. Until then, yes, I'll be the  _ pretty little wife  _ to some lame prince." His grin made him all that more handsome. 

"Well, then, M'lady. Your chariot awaits." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"This… This is not a chariot…" she pointed to the rowboat and scowled, before smirking as her eyes landed on a large naval ship. " _ That _ is a chariot."

"And how do you suggest we acquire this…  _ Chariot _ , love?" He looked doubtful.

"Well, you're a captain. My dad taught me everything he knew about Sailing…" Her eyes fell on a less guarded ship. "Follow my lead."

She moved to edge of the dock with the row boat, and Hook followed. Together, they flipped it upside down. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What are we doing?"

"Sneaking onto  _ that  _ ship." She pointed to the less guarded ship.

"But I thought-"

"Come on." Emma sighed, dropping into the water. She opened her eyes, and the salt water stung them, but she quickly swam up and grabbed the edges of the rowboat, gasping for air as she found the air bubble she created. Hook was soon in the water with her, amazement on his face.

"How did you know that would work?" She shrugged, not wanting to admit that Snow's friend Ariel had shown her it when she was younger. 

"We got lucky. Now let's worry more about how we're going to reach that ship." She heard something thud and looked to see his Hook buried firmly in the wood.

"We'll pull it down." He grabbed onto the leg of the dock then and Emma followed suit.

It took a lot of effort, and Emma was sweating despite the cool water, but they got to the bottom. Emma found some large stones to put on the underside of the seats, keeping the boat under the water. They started walking towards the ship, staying underwater. When they reached it, Emma took one final large gulp of air before slipping out from under the rowboat. Hook did the same, and they swam towards the ship, grabbing onto the anchor hidden under the water. It was easy until they reached the rope above the water. Emma insisted Hook go ahead of her, but he wouldn't have it.

It was her plan, if it failed the blame would be on her. So she climbed up the side of the ship, glad they were out of view from the docks. Hook was climbing up behind her, and she could feel his weight on the rope as he talked.

"Ya know, princess, you would make quite the pirate." He teased as she reached the railing and pulled herself over. The ship was empty. Emma reached her hand over to pull him on, yelping when he pulled her against his chest. 

"Well, if being a queen doesn't work out, I'll consider it." His grin was blinding, but Emma couldn't focus on that now. "We need to get the ship into the harbor and let them catch up."

"What!?" He exclaimed, his grin gone.

"We want them to chase us in the Jewel of the Realm. It's the fastest ship in all the realms, Hook. We want them to catch up, board, and then leave them behind. We'll disable the rutters and wheel so they can't follow us." She sighed approaching the side of the ship where the gangplank sat, "Not that they'd catch us, anyway."

"Bloody hell, you've thought this through, haven't you?" Emma shook her head no.

"I'm improvising, Hook." He grinned as she pushed the gangplank down. It fell into the water and Emma ducked so the guards wouldn't see her. They moved to gather the gangplank and Emma rushed to the ropes. "Get us into the Harbor."

"Aye, aye, captain." He joked, jogging up to the wheel. It was a struggle, but soon they were sailing into the harbor, shouting behind them as they went. Soon enough, the Jewel of the Realm was close behind. "They're catching up, princess!"

"Good! Disable the wheel!" She ducked below deck, and came up moments later. "Well… now the ship is diabled and taking on water."

Hook chuckled, and Emma threw her hood over her head, dragging him to the port side as the naval soldiers began boarding. Once they were all on the smaller ship, they cut two ropes with his hook and swung across. Emma rolled after losing her footing, but Hook was across the deck and at the wheel in moments, quickly taking control and sailing them away. 

Emma fought back a cry of triumph as Misthaven and her castle faded into the distance. Hook was laughing loudly from the helm. "Are you sure you weren't a pirate in another life, love!?" 

She found herself blushing when he winked and simply smiled, standing and crossing to the front of the ship, looking out at the water. She was proud of herself for thinking of it, for succeeding at it, even if she did have help. A bright smile bloomed across her features and she grabbed some of the rigging, standing on the rail and she cheered, laughing loudly for the first time since her father left on the secret mission that had gotten him killed.

***

"So, now what?" Emma asked with a smile after the sun had set. "Where were the bandits heading?"

"I believe your father tracked their route ahead of time. If I remember right, before our last run in, they were meant to head for Arendale." Hook said without looking at her.

Emma's smile dropped nervously. Arendale? Last she'd heard of Arendale, some crazy magic stuff had gone down and Anna and Elsa were going on a journey to discover the  _ fifth spirit _ , whatever that was. Were they back? Would they recognize her if they saw her?

She knew Anna would for sure, and wouldn't hesitate to cheer and let everyone know her fellow princess was in town. "Where were they going after that?"

She felt Hook's eyes on her back but didn't dare mention the question in his gaze. "Agrabah. Then, I believe, Neverland. Not that I'm excited to return there, so if we could reach them before they have a chance to cross realms, that'd be fantastic."

"Okay." Emma nodded, "I'm gonna get some rest."

"Ah," His hook caught on her arm and she sucked in a breath. "Captain's quarters is the only bunk suitable for the Princess of Misthaven."

"I'm not fragile." She glared.

"Don't care." He winked, before releasing her and turning back to the wheel. Emma decided not to argue, doing as told and slipping into the captain's quarters to sleep.


End file.
